Editorial

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Optimal estimation of high-dimensional unitary transformations

We propose an estimation procedure for $d$-dimensional unitary transformations. For $d>2$, the unitary transformations close to the identity are estimated saturating the quantum Cram\'er-Rao bound. For $d=2$, the estimation of all unitary transformations is also optimal with some prior information. We show through numerical simulations that, even in the absence of prior information, two-dimensional unitary transformations can be estimated with greater precision than by means of standard quantum process tomography.Comment: 8+14 pages, 6 figure

Capacidades y recursos que influyen en las empresas femeninas

Este artículo tiene como propósito tratar de conocer las principales capacidades y los recursos que influyen en las empresas femeninas. Para lo cual se analizan los datos recopilados por GEM Colombia 2009, pero filtrando la base de datos y permitiendo utilizar solo lo relacionado con el género femenino. Dentro de los resultados se logró obtener un modelo consistente con la literatura sobre competitividad, destacando los recursos humanos, la innovación y la internacionalización. Sin embargo, no hay evidencia que explique cada una de estas variables por género y mucho menos la relación con competitividad. Para lo cual, los autores plantean una primera aproximación y que puede generar tendencias investigativas al respecto. La metodología aplicada en este articulo, es un sistema de ecuaciones estructurales, mediante el paquete estadístico SPSS Amos 18, que permite generar un esquema de relaciones entre las variables, y, acercarse a las tendencias de modelos en las explicaciones de las ciencias sociales

Kaolin spray induces changes in ABA and IAA immunodistribution in olive leaves.

The climate change scenarios predicted the accentuation of drought and high temperature events during the summer season in the Mediterranean region, coming up harmful consequences to important crops of this region, such as olive tree (Olea europaea L.). Stress conditions often stimulate changes in plants production, distribution or signal transduction of phytohormones as a response, then modifying their physiology and biochemistry. Kaolin (KL) is a reflecting clay that applied on leaves surface reduce the common damages promoted by heat load and high irradiance levels, being important to test its effect on olive tree hormonal dynamics and physiological parameters. Olive trees of a rainfed orchard in Northeast Portugal, were sprayed with kaolin 5% (KL) and water (C). The immunodistribution of two hormones, abscisic acid (ABA) and indoleacetic acid (IAA), and some physiological and growth responses were accessed. The ABA signal was substantially more pronounced than the IAA signal in all the analyzed leaves, concomitant with the stressful conditions of which these plants were subjected. In general, ABA signal showed a uniform distribution throughout the leaf in both treatments. However, its intensity was higher in C than in KL-sprayed leaves, reflecting the better water status and higher stomatal conductance of the last plants. While in C leaves was observed a uniform distribution of IAA signal trough the leaf limb and an almost absence of signal in the main vascular tissues, in KL-sprayed leaves was observed a higher signal intensity in the main vascular tissues and upper palisade parenchyma. These data suggest its transport and an active growth in KL plants, concomitant with the higher increase of canopy volume. Thus, immunodetection appears to be an efficient tool to understand the translocation of IAA and ABA in plants treated with abiotic stress alleviating products and clarify their role in regulating the physiological responses.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Kaolin and salicylic acid alleviate summer stress effects on rainfed olive orchards through distinct physiological and biochemical processes

In a changing world, the search for new agronomic practices that help crops to maintain and/or increase yields and quality is a continuous challenge. Olive trees cultivated under rainfed conditions were sprayed with 5% kaolin (KL) and 100 μM salicylic acid (SA) during two consecutive years in the beginning of the summer season. Exogenous KL enhanced relative water content (RWC), stomatal conductance (gs) net photosynthesis (A) and IAA immunodetection, and decreased leaf sclerophylly, secondary metabolites and non-structural carbohydrates accumulation, ABA signal and DNA methylation, contributing to higher growth and yield. The plants treated with SA showed an enhancement in RWC, gs, A, soluble proteins, IAA, ABA and DNA methylation immunodetection and leaf P and Mg concentrations during the summer, leading to higher yield. Thus, KL and SA alleviated some of the negative effects induced by summer stress in olive tree performance, allowing a faster restauration of the physiological functions during the stress relief and leading to higher yieldsThis work was funded by the INTERACT project – “Integrative Research in Environment, Agro-Chains and Technology”, no. NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000017, in its lines of research entitled ISAC, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through NORTE 2020 (North Regional Operational Program 2014/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Identification of Proteases and Protease Inhibitors in Seeds of the Recalcitrant Forest Tree Species Quercus ilex.

Proteases and protease inhibitors have been identified in the recalcitrant species Quercus ilex using in silico and wet methods, with focus on those present in seeds during germination. In silico analyses showed that the Q. ilex transcriptome database contained 2,240 and 97 transcripts annotated as proteases and protease inhibitors, respectively. They belonged to the different families according to MEROPS, being the serine and metallo ones the most represented. The data were compared with those previously reported for other Quercus species, including Q. suber, Q. lobata, and Q. robur. Changes in proteases and protease inhibitors alongside seed germination in cotyledon and embryo axis tissues were assessed using proteomics and in vitro and in gel activity assays. Shotgun (LC-MSMS) analysis of embryo axes and cotyledons in nonviable (NV), mature (T1) and germinated (T3) seeds allowed the identification of 177 proteases and 12 protease inhibitors, mostly represented by serine and metallo types. Total protease activity, as determined by in vitro assays using azocasein as substrate, was higher in cotyledons than in embryo axes. There were not differences in activity among cotyledon samples, while embryo axis peaked at germinated T4 stage. Gel assays revealed the presence of protease activities in at least 10 resolved bands, in the Mr range of 60-260 kDa, being some of them common to cotyledons and embryo axes in either nonviable, mature, and germinated seeds. Bands showing quantitative or qualitative changes upon germination were observed in embryo axes but not in cotyledons at Mr values of 60-140 kDa. Proteomics shotgun analysis of the 10 bands with protease activity supported the results obtained in the overall proteome analysis, with 227 proteases and 3 protease inhibitors identified mostly represented by the serine, cysteine, and metallo families. The combined use of shotgun proteomics and protease activity measurements allowed the identification of tissue-specific (e.g., cysteine protease inhibitors in embryo axes of mature acorns) and stage-specific proteins (e.g., those associated with mobilization of storage proteins accumulated in T3 stage). Those proteins showing differences between nonviable and viable seeds could be related to viability, and those variables between mature and germinated could be associated with the germination process. These differences are observed mostly in embryo axes but not in cotyledons. Among them, those implicated in mobilization of reserve proteins, such as the cathepsin H cysteine protease and Clp proteases, and also the large number of subunits of the CNS and 26S proteasome complex differentially identified in embryos of the several stages suggests that protein degradation via CNS/26S plays a major role early in germination. Conversely, aspartic proteases such as nepenthesins were exclusively identified in NV seeds, so their presence could be used as indicator of nonviability.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness in the framework of Projects BIO2015- 64737-R and PID2019-109038RB-I00.S

Kaolin and salicylic acid alleviate summer stress in rainfed olive orchards by modulation of distinct physiological and biochemical responses

In a changing world, the search for new agronomic practices that help crops to maintain and/or increase yields and quality is a continuous challenge. We aim to evaluate kaolin (KL) and salicylic acid (SA) effectiveness as summer stress alleviating agents through physiological, biochemical and immunohistochemical analysis. Olive trees (Olea europaea L. cv. Cobrançosa) grown under rainfed conditions were sprayed with 5% KL and 100 μM SA, at the beginning of summer, during two consecutive years. KL enhanced relative water content (RWC), stomatal conductance (gs) net photosynthesis (A) and leaf indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) signal, and decreased leaf sclerophylly, secondary metabolites and non-structural carbohydrates accumulation and abscisic acid (ABA).The trees treated with SA showed changes on IAA and ABA dynamics, and an enhancement in RWC, gs, A, soluble proteins, and leaf P and Mg concentrations during the summer. Notably, KL and SA also allowed a faster restauration of the physiological functions during stress relief. In sum, KL and SA foliar sprays alleviated the negative effects induced by summer stress in olive trees performance, by modulation of distinct physiological and biochemical responses.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

CITOTOXICIDAD EN CÉLULAS HELA DE EXTRACTOS DE TRES ESPECIES DE PLANTAS MEDICINALES DE HIDALGO, MÉXICO

Ethanolic extracts of three medicinal plants,Juniperus deppeana, Solanum rostratumand Bidens odorata, which are used in folk medicine in Hidalgo, Mexico, for thetreatment of wounds, ulcers, tumors andcancer, were tested in a HeLa cell line toevaluate their cytotoxic activity. The highestcytotoxicity was found in the extract of J.deppeana (IC50 = 4.63 μg/ml); hence, thisextract was separated via chromatographyon a silica gel plate, from which the mainfraction (Rf = 0.28) showed strong cytotoxic activity (IC50 = 0.79 μg/ml). Whereasthe extract of S. rostratum also exhibitedcytotoxicity (IC50 = 127.5 μg/ml), that ofB. odorata was inactive.Se evaluó la citotoxicidad en cultivos decélulas HeLa de los extractos etanólicosde tres especies de plantas, Juniperus deppeana, Solanum rostratum y Bidens odorata, que se utilizan tradicionalmente en dosregiones del estado de Hidalgo, México,para el tratamiento de heridas, úlceras, tumores y cáncer de matriz. La citotoxicidadmás elevada la presentó el extracto de J.deppeana (CI50 = 4.63 μg/ml), el cual fueseparado por cromatografía en placa de gelde sílice y la fracción principal (Rf = 0.28 )mostró actividad citotóxica (CI50 = 0.79 μg/ml). Aunque menor, el extracto de S. rostratum también presentó citotoxicidad (CI50= 127.5 μg/ml). B. odorata fue inactiva

Fodder, Nitrogen, and Energy Balances in Grasslands with Algarroba Trees (Prosopis juliflora (S.W.) DC.) under Dairy Cow Grazing

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of algarroba (Prosopis juliflora (S.W.) DC.) on fodder, nitrogen and energy contents in Ecuadoran dairy farm grasslands. The study was made at ESPAM bovine facility, 15 meters above sea level, in Manabí, 00º49’23’’, south latitude, and 80º11’01” west longitude, with 962.4 mm of annual precipitation, between September 2011 and December 2014. The stocking rate was 1.09 LU/ha. The areas were populated with 1-4 algarroba trees/ha by 2011, and 8-35 trees/ha, in 2014. Fodder, nitrogen, and energy balances depended on the arborization degree. As a result, 52 t of DM were estimated in 2014, in comparison to the 21 t produced in 2011. Nitrogen was higher with increased arborization between 2011 (60.9 kg/ha), greater nutrient intake from external sources, and 2014 (39.3 kg/ha), with less use of supplements and mineral fertilizers, and greater N2 contribution by arborization. The energy values were higher in 2014, with an increase in algarroba population/ha. The rise in trees/ha in 2014 favored forage yields, with improved N2 and energy efficiency, which was linked to the benefits acquired by the grassland, the contribution of nitrogen to the ecosystem, and the reduction in feed and fertilizer consumption, which led to energy savings